1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer with a cutter device, and more specifically, to a printer having a receiver for receiving paper dust generated by cutting a recording paper.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A color thermal printer is provided with a thermal head for recording an image on a color thermal recording paper. While the thermal head records three-color images according to the three-color frame-sequential recording, the color thermal recording paper is fed in forward and backward directions in a state of being nipped by a feeding roller pair. Although the thermal head is disposed near the feeding roller pair, the image cannot be recorded on front and rear ends of the color thermal recording paper corresponding to a distance between the feeding roller pair and the thermal head. The color thermal recording paper is nipped between the thermal head and a platen roller; however, if the platen roller is heated by both end parts of the thermal head which are not in contact with the color thermal recording paper, the platen roller may be deformed by the heat, or the life thereof may deteriorate. Therefore, margins are left at the lateral ends of the color thermal recording paper, and the image is recorded on an image recording region surrounded by the margins. After the recording, the margins are formed at a front end, a rear end, and side ends of the image recording region along a feeding direction of the color thermal recording paper.
Recently, since marginless prints are widely used, there has been known a printer provided with a cutter for cutting away all the margins from the recording region. To cut the margins, it is preferable to use a front and rear margin cutter and a slitter for cutting away lateral margins. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,750, a receiver for receiving paper dust generated by cutting the recording paper is provided below the cutter device. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the paper dust from being scattered in the printer. The receiver is attached to the printer in a removable manner. When the paper dust is filled to the capacity of the receiver, the paper dust is discarded after the receiver has been removed from the printer.
In addition, there has been known the printer in which the rolled recording paper is used and in which the image is recorded thereon. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-335029, the printer is provided with the cutter device for cutting the recording paper into a sheet after recording the image thereon. In addition to cutting the recording paper into a sheet, since the cutter device cuts away the margin between the rear end of the recording sheet, which was previously cut, and the front end of the image recording region, which is presently recorded, it is necessary to provide a receiver for receiving the paper dust including the front margin.
In the printer with the cutter device described in the above-mentioned publications, however, since it is necessary to confirm whether the receiver is full of the paper dust or not after removing the receiver, such operation is troublesome. If the operation is omitted, the paper dust may be scattered in the printer after the paper dust amount has exceeded the capacity of the receiver, and it is likely to affect various mechanisms in the printer. A sensor for detecting the paper dust amount in the receiver or the printer may increase the manufacture cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer with a cutter device at low cost, capable of easily confirming whether a receiver is full of paper dust or not.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer with a cutter device capable of preventing paper dust from scattering in the printer not to interfere with the operation of the printer.
The above objects are achieved by providing a printer with a cutter device in which a receiver is provided in a removable manner, and which includes interlocking means for moving the receiver to an exposed position where a part of containing chamber is exposed in association with the movement of a lid to an open position. The lid is open when recording paper or a magazine for containing the recording paper is mounted.
In the printer, the receiver is provided with the containing chamber for receiving paper dust generated by cutting a recording paper. The lid is rotatable between a closed position to cover a loading chamber and an open position to expose the loading chamber. The interlocking mechanism is operated for connecting the lid with the receiver, and moves the receiver from a contained position where the containing chamber is completely contained in the printer to the exposed position. In addition, the interlocking mechanism includes an engaging member fixed to the lid and an engaged member fixed to the receiver. The engaging member pushes the engaged member, so that the receiver is moved to the exposed position in association with the movement of the lid to the open position.
According to the present invention, when the recording paper or the magazine for containing the recording paper is mounted, the interlocking means moves the receiver to the exposed position. Therefore, the amount of paper dust accumulated in the containing chamber can be confirmed when exchanging the recording paper. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of paper dust scattered in the printer for causing trouble with the operation of the printer.